Adjustable ironing board



Dec. 26, 1950 G. T. RIETER 2,535,755

ADJUSTABLE IRONING BOARD Filed May 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNVENTOR GUSTAVE. TRIETER MW L Dec. 26, 1950 G. T. RIETER ADJUSTABLE IRONING BOARD 72 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1948 R E mm m W E 04 I n v J w G AT TORNE'YS Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE IRONING BOARD Gustave T. Rieter, Cedarburg, Wis.

Application May 20, 1948, Serial No. 28,120

2 Claims. (Cl. 38-126) My invention refers to cabinet encased ironing boards. I

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple rectangular skeleton frame, carrying a foldable ironing board, the frame and board being vertically adjustable in the cabinet at various elevations, whereby the board, when in use, is positioned at a height convenient for ironing work, with reference to the height of the laundress.

The specific object of my invention is to provide a skeleton frame, slidable in vertical grooves of the cabinet side walls, the same having an ironing board mounted therein, provided with trunnions extending into the cabinet side walls and a brace leg in pivotal connection with the board and bottom cross rail of the frame, whereby the board is held in horizontal working position, or folded back for nesting in the cabinet, the fold being effected by swinging the brace leg of the board, upon its hinged connection with the skeleton frame, coincident with a downward movement of the board trunnions within the cabinet grooves, to collapse said board for storage.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of a cabinet encased ironing board embodying the features of my invention, the section being indicated by line l--l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the same, partly in section as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the cabinet and base of the ironing board, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal central sectional view through a portion of the cabinet and associated parts, the section being indicated by line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional elevation, upon a different plane, the section being indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view through the ironing board and rail locking means, the section being indicated by line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same, with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate structural features.

Referring by characters to the drawings, l

indicates the back wall of a cabinet, and 2 the side walls thereof, the said cabinet being boxed and having a bottom piece 2' together with a hinged door 2", it being understood that this cabinet may be sunk flush in a wall, or otherwise positioned.

The side walls 2 of the cabinet are provided with vertically disposed grooves 3, which grooves extend from the bottom piece 2 a predetermined distance, with reference to the length of the cabinet side walls.

A skeleton frame is reciprocatively mounted in the grooves 3 and said frame comprises a pair of vertically disposed side-strips 4, which sidestrips are connected by a, top cross-strip 5 and a bottom cross-strip 5.

The side-strips of the frame are also connected by an ironing board supporting cross-strip 5", the same being in juxtaposition with the top cross-strip '5. All of the frame cross-strips project beyond the side-strips 4 and their projecting ends are slidably mounted in the side wall grooves 3.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, one of the frame side-strips 4 extend above the cross-strip 5 and it has pivoted thereto a locking button 6, the purpose of which will be herein". after described.

The back wall of the cabinet has secured thereto a centrally disposed saw-toothed rack l, and said rack is engaged by a gravity or spring controlled dog 8, which dog is pivoted to the top cross-strip 5, whereby the skeleton frame, when elevated to any predetermined height, will be automatically locked at said elevation, it being understood, when it is desired to drop the frame at a lower elevation, the said dog is lifted from its engagement with the rack by finger sockets 8'.

Nested within the skeleton frame is an ironing board 9, the base of which has secured thereto a transversely disposed rail 9, which rail terminates with projecting trunnions 5" that engage the cabinet grooves 3.

When the ironing board is in its horizontal "working position, the rail 9' engages the bottom face of the board supporting cross-strip 5". The ironing board 9, intermediate its length, .has also secured to its bottom face a transverse bar it, and the upper end of a brace leg ll is pivotally secured to said bar, the lower end of said le being also pivotally connected to the bottom cross-strip 5', whereby said ironing board is securely supported against load strain.

As best indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, a spring slat I2 is adjustabl secured to the bottom cross-strip 5 of the frame and said slat, at its upper end, is provided with a locking notch l2, which notch engages the lower corner face of the ironing board base, when said base is horizontally positioned, whereby the ironing board 8 is locked in its engagement with the cross-strip 5. The upper end of the slat l2 carries a leaf spring I2 to insure holding the slat notch in its locked position, with reference to the board, the free end of said spring being in slidable engagement with the back Wall of the cabinet.

The usual sleeve board 43 is pivoted to the cross strip 5 of the frame and said sleeve board is slotted at its base end for the reception of a gravity controlled supporting post i3, which post is pivoted to the sleeve board and is adapted to engage the ironing board when the sleeve board is in use. When not in use, the sleeve board is folded back upon its hinge connection and locked in said folded position by the button 5 carried by the skeleton frame.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent to that the-ironing board and its associ'atbc, frame may be raised from it's working position, shown in Fig. 1, and to accomplish this move ment, the entire mechanism is lifted, whereby the frame will slide upwardly in the side slots 3 and the gravity dog 3 will ride freely upon the rackteeth, step by step, to automatically lock the ironing board in its new raisedposition. It is also apparent that the ironing board ma be lowered,

with reference to its elevation, b simply manui ally lifting the dog 8 from its engagement with the rack, whereby the entire mechanism may be dropped to a lower level, and when so dropped, it is locked in this new position by the engagement of the gravity dog with the rack teeth.

When it is desiredto fold the ironing board back into the cabinet, the spring slat, which is anchored at its lower end to the inner face of the cross-strip 5, is depressed, whereby the notch 12' is freed from its engagement with the base corner of the ironing board, and thereafter the base of said board is swung downwardly, whereby the trunnions ii will travel in the groovesfl as indicated in dotted lines of Fig. 5. In thisdownward swing of the ironing board, it will rock upon its hinge connections with the brace leg H and said brace leg will fold backwar'dly flatly against the board. Whenthe bar iii and board reach their folded position, the same are locked in said position by a bolt it, which bolt will be manually operated to engage a locking slot M", formed in the side wall of the cabinet, and th said slot is of such length that the board may be collapsed, folded and locked at any elevation that the skele tonframe is held, for thetime being.

It is also apparent that the bolt M is reciprocatively mounted in a socket formed in the end of the bar It), and said bolt is actuated by a pin It reciprocative in a slot communicating with the bar socket, as best indicated in Figs. 6 and l of the drawings.

I'claim:

1. In a cabinet having side walls and a back wall, the side walls being provided with long vertical grooves and an upper short groove offset from the long grooves; a vertically shiftable skeleton frame housed in the cabinet, the same having vertical side-strips, one of the same being longer than its companion, a sleeve board pivoted to the upper portion of the skeleton frame, a locking button pivoted to the long side-strip of the frame for locking the sleeve board in its closed position: a top cross-strip, a board supporting cross-strip thereunder and a bottom crossstrip connecting the frame side-strips, the crossstrips having projecting ends slidably fitted in the grooves of the cabinet side walls, an ironing board having a transverse rail secured to its base terminating with trunnions engaging in the long vertical grooves below the board supporting crossstrip, a bar secured to the board intermediate its ends, a brace leg pivoted to the bar and bottom frame cross-strip, a centrally positioned rack secured to the back wall of the cabinet, a depending dog-pivoted to the top cross-bar of the frame engaging the rack, and a spring controlled slat secured to the rear face of the bottom cross-strip of the frame having a notch in its upper end engageable with the bottom face of the ironing board, the board rail being engageable with the board supporting cross-strip, when said board is held in its horizontal working position, and a bolt carried by the transverse bar of the board for engagement with the short groove of the cabinet, when the board is folded in the cabinet, whereby the frame and associated board may be dropped down to the base of the cabinet, when said parts are-collapsed.

2. In a cabinet having side walls and a back wall, the side walls being provided with vertical grooves and a one side wall having an additional upper short groove therein in spaced parallel relation to an adjacent long groove; a skeleton frame housed in the cabinet, the same having vertical side-strips, a board supporting cross strip and a bottom cross-strip connecting the frame side-strips, the cross-strips having pro jecting ends slidably fitted in the grooves of the cabinet side walls, an ironing board having a transverse rail secured to its base terminating with trunnions engaging in the long grooves below the board supporting cross-strip, a bar secured to the board internrediate'its ends, a locking bolt carried by the bar engageable with in GU STAVE T. RIETER.

CITED "I"he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 71') Num er Name Date 1,532,312 Hurd Apr. 7, 1925 1 784,715 Watts Dec. 8, 1930 1,930 128 Howard Dec. 19, 1933 2,304,943 Mastrangelo Dec. 15, 1942 

